


After Deception

by ReneeoftheStars



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-02
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2019-01-08 01:41:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12244647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReneeoftheStars/pseuds/ReneeoftheStars
Summary: Leaving the Senate building, Obi-Wan Kenobi is confronted by the Duchess of Mandalore, who is livid about his part in the deception that occurred while trying to prevent the kidnapping of the Chancellor.





	After Deception

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after the Deception arc in Star Wars: The Clone Wars(2008). In this arc, Obi-Wan Kenobi faked his death - complete with funeral - and assumed the appearance of a bounty hunter in order to gain the trust of other bounty hunters that were being conscripted to kidnap the Chancellor for the Separatists. Being a part of this plot, Obi-Wan was able to foil the attempt.
> 
> Written for Finish-the-clone-wars' writing Wednesday prompt: Disagreement

Obi-Wan made his way through the Senate building, mulling over his conversation with Senator Organa. Cad Bane had successfully been taken to prison, though Obi-Wan doubted he would stay there for very long. Even with the morgue on alert for any escape attempts, the Duros was very likely to escape. The kidnapping of Chancellor Palpatine had been a very near ordeal. As a result, Obi-Wan and Bail had been brainstorming ways they could keep the bounty hunter from getting away yet again.

He was just debating whether or not he should go straight back to the Temple when a sudden ripple in the Force brought him up short. Something, approaching from behind, full of fury. He turned toward the disturbance, hand moving toward his lightsaber instinctively, ready to confront this threat –

“ _Satine_?”

He barely got the word out. Her hand slapped across his face, forcing him to take a half-step to regain his balance. He reached for his stinging cheek and blinked rapidly, more in surprise than pain. A pacifist all her life, Obi-Wan had never known her to raise a hand to anyone.

She stood before him, teeth bared, nostrils flared, eyes boring into him. Her gown was simple, her headdress unadorned, but she looked no less vibrant for it; she seemed to be radiating anger.

“How – _dare_ – you!” she grated, almost choking on the words.

“I –”

“I was at your _funeral_!” Her voice broke, but she shook her head angrily at herself and her voice hardened again. “How could you?”

“Satine, I – it needed to be done.” The words sounded feeble even to his own ears. “We knew there was a plot against the Chancellor. It was the only way –”

“There were other ways,” she snarled. “You might have hired a bounty hunter to feed you information. You might have sent another Jedi to pose as an up-and-coming bounty hunter. You might even have played the bounty hunter as you did; but there was no cause for you to make the galaxy believe you were dead!”

“The reputation of a Jedi-killer was necessary to gain the trust of the ringleaders,” Obi-Wan shot back, matching her tone and volume. “And the only way to make it convincing was to –”

“To make your closest friends think you had been killed?” Satine’s jaw was set in that stubborn way she had, where it jutted out and contracted her whole face into a scowl. “Did you even think? Did you think about what I would feel, when Padmé sent me word? Did you think I wouldn’t come to your funeral, that I wouldn’t cry because you were dead – stars and moons, Obi, you were _dead_!”

Obi-Wan had had enough of this. Seeing Satine so distraught, so livid, was causing a tightness to form in his chest that compressed his lungs. “I did was had to be done. I hope in time you can understand –”

“No.” She was suddenly quiet. Her eyes narrowed. “No. You have the audacity to take the high road and cavort around as though you are faultless? No. I deserve an apology, Obi-Wan. An honest, meaningful apology.”

Obi-Wan let out an exasperated breath. “I’m sorry.”

Satine stared at him. “Do you even know what I want you to apologize for?” Obi-Wan couldn’t decipher the emotion.

He opened his mouth. Then closed it. It was a moment before he spoke. “I am sorry that I caused you distress. That I caused you grief.”

Her lips came together in a thin line. After some time of staring at one another, Satine’s contracted brow lessened some, the curl of her mouth weakened. “You didn’t contact me to tell me you were alright,” she said softly. “I cannot express how happy I am that you are alive. But that does not change the fact that I am furious with you.” Before Obi-Wan could think of a response, she turned on her heel and strode away.

Obi-Wan stood rooted to the spot, his cheek warm where she’d hit him. _I deserved it._ But surely she understood. Surely the duchess realized that the entire charade had been necessary for the protection of the Chancellor, for the Republic.

But he felt a pang of guilt as he realized that he had, indeed, not thought. He did not consider how his presumed death would affect Satine. He had been so focused on making sure Anakin’s reaction was authentic, he had not even entertained the possibility that news would reach Mandalore. The thought gave him pause. Was this how Anakin felt as well? His former apprentice still seemed distant since the events of the Festival of Light, and Obi-Wan wondered if Anakin thought he was owed an apology.

He would need to mediate on the proper response to both his former padawan and the duchess. Or perhaps Senator Amidala could offer some advice. Obi-Wan looked after the direction Satine had gone, but did not pursue her. _Not yet. Not until I understand._


End file.
